Aboard China's second manned spacecraft, Shenzhou-6, there is a precious gift from Beijing's school students - 10 letters.

The letters will accompany the two astronauts on their flight through space.

In July, Beijing launched an activity entitled "I write a letter to our astronauts" amongst the city's school children. More than 40,000 children took part. The organizer chose 10 letters and delivered them to the candidate astronauts for the Shenzhou 6 mission.

Shenzhou-6 spacecraft, China's second manned space mission and first to send two astronauts into orbit, is the first to carry a Chinese language newspaper to space.

A special issue commemorating Shenzhou-6 space flight of Shanghai-based Jiefang Daily, one of China's leading newspapers, is also possible the first newspaper send to space by mankind, according to professional search results.

Apollo-Soyuz

Didn't Russia send a newspaper into space during the joint Soyuz 4-5 flights in January 1969? The newspaper was transferred between the Soyuz. If anybody can confirm this, I would be grateful.

------------------John MaccoVice PresidentSpace UnitShady Side, Md.

FFrench

Yes, that is true. Shatalov got to read about his space launch in the papers while still on the mission! I don't rate their "Professional Search" much when this info. is easily available online and in many books! And I am sure many, many newspapers flew in space after that too.

SIXTY-FOUR items stored in the re-entry capsule of Shenzhou VI were taken out this afternoon in Beijing, China News Service said.

Six of them were shown to public during a ceremony at the exhibition center of Chinese Academy of Space Technology, including a national flag of China, flags of the International Olympic Committee and 2010 Shanghai Expo as well as several cultural items.